Community rallies around family of popular coach

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FOUNTAIN VALLEY Mike Seburn, known as a great dad to his two boys and a father figure to hundreds of others who played for the youth soccer coach over the past decade, died suddenly Jan. 8 at age 44.

The community has rallied around Seburn's family by donating money to a college fund for his two sons, Morgan, 16, and Mason, 12. On Feb. 7, Lamppost Pizza on Warner Avenue gave 30 percent of its proceeds to the college fund.

“It's really, really sad for the boys,” said Malinda Lindgren, a family friend who bought a large pizza at Lamppost. “I hope they can get through this.”

Seburn was involved in sports his entire life. He grew up playing baseball and was a perennial Little League All Star, friends said. When his sons were old enough, he coached them in soccer.

“I saw him Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 5 and 6) for soccer and he was gone on Tuesday,” said Paul LeBaron, a fellow coach for the American Youth Soccer Organization, who knew Seburn for about 10 years. “It's been tough. He was a great man.”

More than 300 people attended his service two weeks ago, according to LeBaron, with his former players wearing soccer jerseys. The family does not yet know the cause of death, but it is likely connected with diabetes.

“It's still kind of surreal. It doesn't seem real,” said his mother, Susan. “He was a really good kid. He worked hard, he played hard and he loved his boys.”

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